Horst P. Horst

Horst Paul Albert Bohrmann (August 19, 1906 - November 18, 1999), later known as Horst P. Horst, is one of the photographers who has really left a mark in the history of photography. The first pictures that carried his credit line appeared in the December issue of French Vogue in 1931. And from that year his career was to continue for sixty years.

Horst P. Horst. Photo: Stathis Orphanos

Through the years Horst's photos became known for their elegance, style and rarified glamour, and his real breakthrough as a published fashion photographer was when he started working with British Vogue. He also took pictures of a long line of celebrities, including Bette Davis, Cole Porter, Elsa Schiaparelli, Loretta Young, Ian Fleming and many, many more. During the 1980's he was commissioned to take nine photos for the magazine Life. They appeared in the February issue of that year, and became the magazine's most popular that year, selling 1.5 million copies

Mainbocher Corset, 1939

In 1990 Madonna used one of Horst's iconic photos (the one above) as inspiration in her video for the single Vouge, where she pays homage to classic fashion photography. The ones of you who has seen the video probably remembers the clip of Madonna posing in a partially tied corset, very reminiscent of this picture. 

Here follows a few more photos of the great Horst P. Horst!

Lisa as V.O.G.U.E , 1940

Round the Clock I, 1987

Mrs Henry Middleton Former Sandra Payson, 1949

Reboux hat, Pauline de Rothschild, 1950

The Gibson Girls, Vogue, 1948

Natasha Wilson (The Princess Natasha Paley), 1935

Gene Tierney, 1940

Lisa, Hands with Vase and Flowers, 1941

Electric Beauty, 1939

Lisa with Harp, 1939

Fur, pearls and diamonds, 1940

Fashion - Alix dress Model: Zelensky, 1936

Mainbocher dress, 1936

Ginger Rogers, 1936

Marlene Dietrich, 1942

Black Corset, 1948

Coco Chanel (Reclining), 1937

Bette Davis - series

Chanel Beauty, 1987

Odalisque I, 1943

Odalisque 2, 1943

Lisa with Money Plant, 1939

Carmen Face Massage, 1946

All photos (except the topmost) were taken from http://www.horstphorst.com/index.php